At the beginning of Pudd'nhead Wilson a young slave woman, fearing for her infant's son's life, exchanges her light-skinned child with her master's. From this rather simple premise Mark Twain fashioned one of his most entertaining, funny, yet biting novels. On its surface, Pudd'nhead Wilson possesses all the elements of an engrossing nineteenth-century mystery: reversed identities, a horrible crime, an eccentric detective, a suspenseful courtroom drama, and a surprising, unusual solution. Yet it is not a mystery novel. Seething with the undercurrents of antebellum southern culture, the book is a savage indictment in which the real criminal is society, and racial prejudice and slavery are the crimes. Written in 1894, Pudd'nhead Wilson glistens with characteristic Twain humor, with suspense, and with pointed irony: a gem among the author's later works.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Product Description:

Determined that her baby son Tom shall not share her fate and remain in slavery, Roxy secretly exchanges him with his playmate Chambers, the son of her master. The two boys' lives in the quiet Missouri town of Dawson's Landing remain entwined even though they take very different directions. The indulged Tom (now heir to a fortune rightfully that of Chambers) goes to Yale, where he learns how to drink and gamble, while Chambers looks set to remain a subservient drudge. But then a strange sequence of events begins - one in which the much-derided lawyer, 'Pudd'nhead' Wilson, has a key part to play - and changes everything. Darkly ironic, blending farce and tragedy, "Pudd'nhead Wilson" is a complex and fascinating depiction of human nature under slavery.

From the Inside Flap:

Featuring the brilliantly drawn Roxanna, a mulatto slave who suffers dire consequences after switching her infant son with her master's baby, and the clever Pudd'nhead Wilson, an ostracized small-town lawyer, Twain's darkly comic masterpiece is a provocative exploration of slavery and miscegenation. Leslie A. Fiedler described the novel as "half melodramatic detective story, half bleak tragedy," noting that "morally, it is one of the most honest books in our literature." Those Extraordinary Twins, the slapstick story that evolved into Pudd'nhead Wilson, provides a fascinating view of the author's process.

The text for this Modern Library Paperback Classic was set from the 1894 first American edition.

Book Description Penguin Classics. Book Condition: New. 0140430407 Brand New, Exactly same as described, Standard Delivery within 4-7 business days ACROSS THE GLOBE via DHL/FedEx. We may ship the books from multiple warehouses across the globe depending upon the availability of inventory. Customer satisfaction guaranteed. Bookseller Inventory # O7_9780140430400

Book Description Penguin Books Ltd, United Kingdom, 1973. Paperback. Book Condition: New. Reprint. 192 x 128 mm. Language: English Brand New Book. Determined that her baby son Tom shall not share her fate and remain in slavery, Roxy secretly exchanges him with his playmate Chambers, the son of her master. The two boys lives in the quiet Missouri town of Dawson s Landing remain entwined even though they take very different directions. The indulged Tom (now heir to a fortune rightfully that of Chambers) goes to Yale, where he learns how to drink and gamble, while Chambers looks set to remain a subservient drudge. But then a strange sequence of events begins - one in which the much-derided lawyer, Pudd nhead Wilson, has a key part to play - and changes everything. Darkly ironic, blending farce and tragedy, Pudd nhead Wilson is a complex and fascinating depiction of human nature under slavery. Bookseller Inventory # APG9780140430400

Book Description Penguin Books Ltd, United Kingdom, 1973. Paperback. Book Condition: New. Reprint. 192 x 128 mm. Language: English Brand New Book. Determined that her baby son Tom shall not share her fate and remain in slavery, Roxy secretly exchanges him with his playmate Chambers, the son of her master. The two boys lives in the quiet Missouri town of Dawson s Landing remain entwined even though they take very different directions. The indulged Tom (now heir to a fortune rightfully that of Chambers) goes to Yale, where he learns how to drink and gamble, while Chambers looks set to remain a subservient drudge. But then a strange sequence of events begins - one in which the much-derided lawyer, Pudd nhead Wilson, has a key part to play - and changes everything. Darkly ironic, blending farce and tragedy, Pudd nhead Wilson is a complex and fascinating depiction of human nature under slavery. Bookseller Inventory # APG9780140430400

Book Description Penguin Classics, 1969. Book Condition: New. Brand New, Unread Copy in Perfect Condition. A+ Customer Service! Summary: Determined that her baby son Tom shall not share her fate and remain in slavery, Roxy secretly exchanges him with his playmate Chambers, the son of her master. The two boys' lives in the quiet Missouri town of Dawson's Landing remain entwined even though they take very different directions. The indulged Tom (now heir to a fortune rightfully that of Chambers) goes to Yale, where he learns how to drink and gamble, while Chambers looks set to remain a subservient drudge. But then a strange sequence of events begins - one in which the much-derided lawyer, 'Pudd'nhead' Wilson, has a key part to play - and changes everything. Darkly ironic, blending farce and tragedy, Pudd'nhead Wilson is a complex and fascinating depiction of human nature under slavery.Based on the first edition of 1894, this volume contains an introduction by Malcolm Bradbury discussing the peculiar circumstances in which Pudd'nhead Wilson was written. It also included Those Extraordinary Twins, the comic short story from which the novel originates. Bookseller Inventory # ABE_book_new_0140430407